KUALA LUMPUR: Tenders for upgrading 40 national type Tamil schools will be awarded next month. 

The projects under the Public Works Department would begin in July, Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed announced yesterday.

A sum of RM41.5 million had been allocated for these projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan. 

He said 25 projects would be awarded to contractors of Class D, 10 to Class F, three to Class E and one each to Class B and C. Of these projects, 31 involved the construction of new blocks and the rest were for upgrading.

Mohd Zin also announced a higher weight limit for goods vehicles. The higher limit means cheaper transport cost which would benefit consumers. 

In an immediate reaction, Association of Malaysian Hauliers president Datuk Shalimin Shaffie welcomed the "long overdue" decision. 

"This is long overdue as the international standard is 13 tonnes. 

This is one of the solutions to reduce overloading. The axles of lorries 25 years ago and now are very different," he said.